Based on a series of plausible events in a regional Victorian town

Alright folks, with the rain having shifted over to New Zealand, we go on to another boring Saturday in April, featuring Day 2 of The Championships on some kind of Soft dungheap at Randwick, with the highlight being the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and this year marks 20 years since the Queen Elizabeth in which the great Lonhro was all set for a grand farewell to racing, with such a reception that even his sire Octagonal made an appearance…

However, the only thing Grand about that Queen Elizabeth was Grand Armee, who deadset routed the black entire and won with some great tactics from Danny Beasley, just as Octagonal was upstaged by Intergaze in the same race 7 years earlier.

Grand Armee backed up that upset win with a couple more Group 1s (Among them repeating the Queen Elizabeth Stakes of 2005), and Lonhro had much more success as a sire, although true to his racing career, he couldn’t sire a Cox Plate winner.

Of course, the Sydney Cup is also on this weekend, and another big 20th anniversary is for Makybe Diva’s win in the race, becoming the first horse since Bart Cummings’ champion Galilee in 1966/67 to win the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Cup in the same season, and to date, she’s still the last horse to achieve the feat:

The other Group 1s on the card include the Australian Oaks and the Queen of the Turf, and some other major races around the country include the Golden Mile at Bendigo, with the Adelaide Carnival getting closer Morphetville hosts a couple of Group 3s (The Auraria & Irwin Stakes), and Ascot (Which is in Belmont) hosts the WATC Derby, and if you don’t remember, the WATC Derby used to be a Group 1 in the Autumn, and it was so big David Hayes sent 1 horse over and won it, but the Winterbottom was later elevated to Group 1 status (2011) while the Derby was downgraded, giving Perth 3 Group 1s in the Spring and nothing in the Autumn…

And the Grand National is on, not that I’ll be watching it because jumps racing still gives me the creeps.

So it’s on to Crazy Craig, and apparently he got a placing with his Value bet last week, and one of his Group 1 picks actually won, so well done Craig, you’ve earned your theme music this week!

P(r)ick No.1: Joliestar (No.11) E/W in Race 5 at Randwick (SR5), 2:05pm AEST

1200m 3YO 1200m Group 2

Trainer: Chris Waller, Jockey: Not Jason Collett, 54.5kg

Hello hello everybody it’s Craaaaaaazy Craig, TBFB, Scratchie King of Bairnsdale, back for another week of racing at dodgy Woyal Wandwick, and that’s where we better start this week because the winner of the Thousand Guineas is first up at a decent price, although I was informed this morning that Jason Collett won’t be riding the Chris Waller filly, who would be worth about 1/10th of that Winx filly that Debbie Kepitis bought on Monday!

$10m for a bloody horse…. I’d back Crazy Colin to pay that much for a yearling, although we’d all be paying for it!

In fact, seeing that name Joliestar reminds me of a song I once heard…

Jolie, Jolie, Jolie Jolieeeeeeeestar, I’m begging of you please don’t take my man!

P(r)ick No.2: Garza Blanca (No.7, Barrier 6) in Race 6 at Bendigo (MR6), 2:55pm AEST

1100m BM84 Handicap

Trainer: Ciaron Maher, Jockey: Jamie Mott, 59kg

With a name like Garza, you better hope he’s not going to be running in Israel anytime soon….

Still, he should be going like a rocket.

P(r)ick No.3: A Lot Of Good Men (No.2, Barrier 4) in the WATC Derby at Ascot (PR7), 3:50pm AEST

2400m 3YO Set Weights Group 2

Trainer: Trevor Andrews, Jockey: 56.5kg

This is about the third time I’ve picked A Lot Of Good Men for no return thus far, and if you don’t like A Lot Of Good Men’s chances in the race….

THEN YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Crazy Craig’s Crazy Crappy Group 1 Picks

Australian Oaks: Orchestral

Sydney Cup: Amade E/W

Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Via Sistina

Queen of the Turf: Atishu Atishu, we all fall down

Enjoy your weekend folks, stay safe, stay negative, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD, and remember, I’m Crazy Craig, and that’s why they call me Craaaaaazy Craig!